Back pedaling brake for velocipedes



Nov. 29, 1949 E. E. HOOD 2,489,964

' BACK PEDALING BRAKE FOR VELocIPEDEs Filed April 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 il W l WITNESS MIJ? ATT NEY Nov. 29, 1949 rg, E. HOOD Filed April 2, 1945 BACK PEDLING BRAKE FOR VELOCIPEDES 5f 4a 49 47 50 59 6o g WITNESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

AT RNEY Patented Nov. 2.9, 1949 BACK PEDALING BRAKE FOR VELOCIPEDES E. Elliott Hood, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application April 2, 1945, Serial N0. 586,217

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a back pedaling brake for velocipedes and the like and more particularly to such a brake which is arranged to be actuated directly by the crank shaft of the vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel back pedaling brake which is simple and rugged in construction, positive in action and has very little lost motion.

It is another object to provide such a device which is adapted to be housed and supported by the crank shaft of the vehicle.

Further objects and .advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elev-ation partly broken away and in section of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail View in perspective of the anchoring means for the brake sleeve shown in disassembled relation;

Fig. 3 is a similar View of the brake sleeve with its actuating members;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a detail View in perspective of the brake shoes and the anchoring and expanding means therefor, shown disassembled;

Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the crank shaft; and

Fig. '7 is a detail in perspective of the retarding means for the clutch-nut member, in disassembled relation.

In Fig. l of the drawing there is illustrated a portion I of the frame of a velocipede comprising a tubular crank-hanger housing 2 having an antifriction bearing 3 in one end thereof. An anchor plate 4 is mounted in the opposite end of the housing 2 and is non-rotatably connected therewith by means of radial lugs 5 (Fig. 2) which enter corresponding slots 6 in said housing.

A sleeve 1 having a non-cylindrical external surface formed by making flats 8 and 9 thereon is non-rotatably mounted in an opening I in the anchor plate conforming to the flattened contour of the sleeve. An anti-friction bearing comprising balls II and cone member I2 is mounted on the sleeve 1, and a barrel member I2 is journalled thereon at one end, the opposite end of the barrel projecting outside the housing 2 through the bearing 3 which forms a support therefor. A drive sprocket I3 is rigidly mounted on the outer end of the b-arrel member I2 as indicated at I4.

.An anti-friction bearing I is provided in the outer end of the barrel member I2, an anti-friction bearing comprising balls I6 seated in a race I6 is mounted on the outer end of the sleeve 1, and a drive shaft I1 having crank arms I8 and I9 xed on the ends thereof is journalled in said bearings I5, I5. The crank shaft I1 is threaded for a portion of its length as indicated at 20, and a clutch member 2l is threaded thereon and is provided with a conical clutch surface 22 arranged to cooperate with a similar clutch surface 23 in the interior of the barrel member I2 to connect the barrel for rotation with the clutch member.

An expansible brake sleeve 24 is loosely supported in the barrel member I2 by means of lactuating members 25 and 26 slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the sleeve 1. Stop means for the Vactuating member .25 is provided in the form of a lock ring 21 seated in a groove 28 in the sleeve 1. The interior oi the brake sleeve 24 is conically tapered from both ends -as shown at 29 and 30, and the outer surfaces of the actuating members 25 and 2B are similarly tapered so that movement of the actuating member 2S toward the actu-ating member 25 causes the brake sleeve 24 to be expanded into frictional engagement with the interior of the barrel member.

The clutch member 2| and brake `actuating member 26 are provided with clutch teeth 3l and 32 respectively which are adapted to cooperate when the clutch member is moved into engagement with the actuating member 26 so as to positively lock the clutch member to said actuating member. The periphery of the brake actuating member 26 is provided with a cylindrical seat for a spring retarder ring 35 which is xed thereon in any suitable manner as indicated at 36. The retarder 35 has elastic portions 31 which extend over and bear frictionally on the periphery of the clutch member 2I so as to apply a slight rotational drag thereon and thereby insure its traversal in response to the rotation of the crank shaft I1.

In operation. rotation of the crank shaft in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 1 causes the clutch member 2| to be traversed to the right into enber I2 by the inertia of the vehicle is transmitted to the clutch member 2|, causing it to traverse to the left sufficiently to release it from the barrel member. The vehicle is then free to coast without causing rotation of the crank shaft.

Backward rotation of the crank shaft causes the clutch member 2| to be traversed to the left, since its rotation is resisted by the retarder 35, whereby the teeth 3| of the clutch member are brought into engagement with the teeth 32 of the actuating member 26. Further Ibackward rotation of the crank shaft causes the clutch member 2| to move the ac-tuating member 26 to the left whereby the conical engaging surfaces of the actuating members expand the brake sleeve into frictional engagement with the interior of the barrel member so as to resist the rotation thereof. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 to '1, inclusive, a vehicle frame 4| is provided with a crank-hanger housing 42 of generally cylindrical shape, in one end of which is located 'an anti-friction bearing 43, and in the other end an anchor member 44 which is non-rotatably connected thereto by means of lugs 45 entering recess 46 in the housing. A xed brake expanding cone member :i1 is rigidly connected to the anchor `:member 44 asv indicated at' 48, and carries an antifriction bearing 49. A driven barrel member 50 is journalled at one end on the ybearing 49 and passes through the bearing 43 so Ias to be sup- :v

ported thereby and project outside the housing 4:2. A sprocket 5| is rigidly mounted on the projecting end of the barrel 55.

An anti-friction bearing 52 is mounted within the projecting end of the :barrel i! and another anti-friction bearing 53 is mounted on the expanding member d1 adjacent the anchor 44. A driving Acrank shaft 5t is journalled in the beari-ngs 52 and 53 as by means of cones 55 and 55 "adjustably fixed thereon, and has on its outer ends cranks 56 and 51 by which it may be rotated. The crank shaft is provided with a high pitch multi-lead threadl for -a portion of its length 'as indicated at 58, and a clutch member 59 is `*threaded thereon and formed with an external cone clutch surface 6&- arrangedY to cooperate with a corresponding clutch surface 6| in the interior of Ithe barrel 50. Rotation of the crank shaft in the direction of the arrow a causes the clutch member 59- to be moved to the right in Fig. 4 into driving engagement withl the driven barrel 56.

" A second brake expanding cone member 62 is loosely journalled onthe crank shaft in spaced relation to the xed expanding member 41, and braking means in the form of a lpair of substantially semi-cylindrical shoes 63 and |54v are supported on the expanding members and arranged 'to vbe actuated thereby. Means for connecting the brake shoes and the movable expanding member to the fixed expanding member 41, so Ias t0 prevent rotation thereof, is provided in the form of a pair of rectangular keys 65 and 66 which are interposed between the brake' shoes 63 and 64', and slidably engage at their ends in notches 6,1, 68, 69 and 10 formed in the adjacent ends of the expanding members 41, `62.

The expanding members are for-med with conical surfaces 1l and' 12, and the interior surfaces of the brake shoes: 63 and 64 are similarly tapered `so that when the expanding member 62 is moved to the left in Fig. 4, the shoes will be wedged apart and expanded into fri'ctional engagement with the interior of thebarrel 56. This4 action is brought about by backward rotation Iof the crank rounding the crank shaft 54 between the clutch shaft 54 whereby the clutch member 59 is moved into engagement with the expanding member y62. The engaging surfaces of the clutch member and expanding member 62 are preferably provided with clutch teeth 13 and 14 respectively to prevent relative rotation when the parts are engaged.

Means for insuring traversal 4of the clutch member 59 upon rotation of the crank shaft 54 is provided in the form of a ring 15 loosely surmember 59 and the expanding member 62, said ring having axially extending arms 16 and 11 with outturned ends 13 and 19 which engage in notches 85, 8i in the interior of member 62 so as to be anchored thereto. A disc 82 is splined on the arms 16, l1 and is urged into abutting relation with the ring 15 by means of a compression spring 83 located between the disc 82 and the outturned ends 18, 19 of the arms 16, 11. A thrust ring 84 is preferably interposed between the spring and said outturned ends.

The retarding means is preferably assembled by bending the free ends ofthe arms 16, 11 inwardly and then threading on rst the disc 82, then the spring 83 and finally the thrust ring 84 after which the aims are allowed to spring outwardly and hold the 1init in assembled relation. When the unit is assembled on the crank shaft 54, the disc S2 is pressed into light frictional engagement with the interior of the clutch member 55, and since rotation of the unit is prevented by the anchorage of the arms 16, 11 in the expanding member 62, this engagement provides a slight drag on the clutch member 59 so as to insure its traversal when the crank shaft 54 is rotated.

A cylindrical bushing t5 is preferably arranged to bear within counterbores S5 and S1 conforming thereto in the adjacent ends or" the expanding members 11, 62. This bushing assists in maintaining proper alignment of the expanding members without impeding the longitudinal movement of the expanding member 52.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is substantially similar to that first dcscribed. In this case, however, when the brake shoes 53, 5:3 are wedged apart as a consequence to backward rotation of the crank shaft 54, the braking torque is transmitted from the brake shoes through the keys 65, t6 to the stationary expanding i iember f3?, and through the anchor member 46 to the cranlvhanger housing 42. The spring S3 of the retarder unit is preferably so designed as to its dimensions that the disc 82 will have only a very slight pressure in the clutch iember 59 when it is in driving position, so that there will be only a negligible retarding effect at that time.

Although certain embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and that various changes may be made in the designv and arrangement of 'the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened in the claims appended hereto.

.What is claimed f l.. In a, crank-hanger brake, a crank shaft, a pair of brake expanding members j ou-rnailed thereon, a` brake member supported and actuated by the expanding members,y means preventing rotation of the brake and expanding members, a driven barrel journalled on the crank shaft at. one end and on one of the, expanding members at the other end and. ay clutch member threaded on the crank shaft and movable by forward rotation of the shaft into driving engagement with the barrel and by backward rotation of the shaft into operative engagement with the other expanding member, said brake comprising a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical shoes, the expanding members of which are provided with aligned notches, and keys mounted in said notches and between the brake shoes so as to spline the expanding members together and prevent rotation of the brake shoes.

2. In a crank-hanger brake, a crank shaft, a pair of brake expanding members journalled thereon, a brake member supported and actuated by the expanding members, means preventing rotation of the brake and expanding members, a driven barrel journalled on the crank shaft at one end, and on one of the expanding members at the other end, and a clutch member threaded on the crank shaft and movable by forward rotation of the shaft into driving engagement with the barrel and by `backward rotation of the shaft into operative engagement with the other expanding member, including further a frictional connection between the clutch member and the adjacent brake expanding member comprising a ring having axially extending arms with outturned ends anchored in one of said members, a disc splined on said arms in position to bear frictionally on the other of said members and a compression spring between said disc and the outturned ends of said arms.

3. In a crank-hanger brake for velocipedes, a tubular crank-hanger housing having a plain cylindrical interior surface and a plurality of slots at one end, a bearing cup having a radial flange seated in the unslotted end of the housing with the flange abutting the end of the housing, a dished anchor plate closing the slotted end of the housing having lugs seated in said slots, a second bearing cup seated in the anchor plate, a sleeve having a thrust shoulder forming an abutment for the anchor plate and a non-circular portion adjacent thereto on which the anchor plate and said second bearing cup are iixedly'mounted, a driving axle traversing said sleeve having a bear? ing cone adjustably mounted thereon, anti-friction bearings in said bearing cup cooperating with said cone to form a radial and thrust bearing for the axle, a driven barrel member extending into the open end of the housingl with its inner end journalled on said sleeve, and its outer end havfing a radial and thrust bearing in the rst mentioned bearing cup, a radial and thrust bearing for said axle in the outer end of said barrel, wherefby adjustment of said bearing cone on the axl' adjusts all the bearings while holding the anchor plate and iirst mentioned bearing cup in the housing; expansible cylindrical braking means loosely mounted in the barrel member and non,` rotatably connected to the sleeve, and means re-` sponsive to forward rotation of the axle to clutch the axle to the barrel and responsive to backward rotation of the axle to de-clutch it from the barrel and expand the brake means into frictional engagement with the barrel.

E. ELLIOTT HOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,471,538 Baisi Oct. 23, 1923 2,277,585 Glacy Mar. 24, 1942 

